With the sudden news that the Apple smartwatch could be arriving within weeks, rival manufacturers scrambled to make their own announcements.

LG had been expected to launch new products at the IFA consumer electronics trade show in Berlin, but it seems that it may have changed its plans after news of the imminent arrival of the iWatch. A teaser video hinting at LG's new device was released last week, and it confirmed the company's plans to announce its smartwatch at the IFA trade fair.

After seeing its rival LG announce an attractive smartwatch, Samsung decided to weigh in too, bringing forward its own IFA announcement. Samsung had been expected to launch its newest smartphone at the IFA trade fair next week as part of a large press event taking place in Berlin, Beijing and New York. The event had been expected to feature the announcement of both the new smartwatch and the new Samsung Galaxy Note 4.

LG and Samsung have been rivals for nearly 50 years, with the two South Korean tech giants clashing over patents and claims of spying. After the early news that Apple may be bringing forward its smartwatch launch, both companies have apparently rushed to announce their own smartwatches.